WATCH: Tawanchai PK Saenchai breaks through the glass ceiling in world title win over Petchmorakot in Singapore

The road to superstardom can take an untold number of years. For Tawanchai PK Saenchai, his journey from rising star to world champion in ONE Championship only took a year and four months. After posting three knockout wins in his first four fights, Tawanchai earned the opportunity to challenge then-reigning ONE featherweight Muay Thai world champion Petchmorakot Petchyindee in September 2022.

The PK Saenchai Muay Thai Gym product made the most of his opportunity and delivered a five-round masterclass to become the new king of the 155-pound Muay Thai division via unanimous decision.

Check out the highlights of their world title tilt below, which ONE posted on Instagram:

It was a star-making effort for the then-23-year-old as no one had ever beaten the Petchyindee Academy standout in his six previous Muay Thai fights under the ONE banner.

Three years since his reign began, Tawanchai has successfully defended the gold four times. His most recent defense was a second-round TKO of ONE featherweight kickboxing world champion Superbon this past January.

Now, he aims for two-sport supremacy as he battles Masaaki Noiri for the ONE interim featherweight kickboxing world championship at ONE 172: Takeru vs. Rodtang on March 23.

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Denis Puric urges Tawanchai to exercise caution at ONE 172

Muay Thai great Denis Puric is one of the most experienced athletes on the ONE roster, and he has some advice for Tawanchai that could prove invaluable during his interim world title tilt at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan.

'The Bosnian Menace' told Sportskeeda MMA in an exclusive interview:

"He's stepping into their world right? It's different. It's like, if I went into the boxing right now, I would get killed over there, right? Bro, it's a different world."

ONE 172 will be available live on pay-per-view at watch.onefc.com.